Means for connecting tubular members



Dc.16,1930.- 1 .VI4:E; 'P.'LEYHN4IANN-V 1,785,129-

MEANS FOR CONNECTING TUBULAR KEIBERS Filed March 8. 192a Patented Dec. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR CONNECTING TUBULAR MEMBERS Application filed March 8, 1928, Serial No.

This invention has for its object to provide an easily releasable connection for tubular parts which are to be inserted one in the other and is illustrated diagrammatically in Figs.

1 to 5 of the accompanying drawing by several constructional examples. Suchaconnection may serve many purposes and is specially suitable for use intoys, the sconces for Christmas tree candles and the like. It is particuo larly useful where a tubular member fixed to a base is to receive a vertical tube to be inserted into it. Heretofore there has been the danger, when one member was inserted into the other, of the inner tube easily becoming crushed, so that it was no longer held firmly and frequently would not be made to stand straight.

For overcoming these drawbacks, according to the present invention the tube, which 2 0 is to be inserted in the other tubular part and which is provided with a longitudinal visible or invisible slot, is cut away at the end in question on one side or both sides of the slot, the corresponding end of the outer tube be- 26 ing provided with an inwardly bent tongue or the like, over which the widened part of the slot of the inner tube is pushed, when the latter is inserted in the outer tube. Through thesides of the widened portion of the slot being 80 gradually inclined, the inner tube, which yields at its longitudinal edges, has the said longitudinal edges forced further and further apart as the inner tube is inserted into the surrounding socket, so that the inner tube is forced from the inside against the rigid tube or socket.

When the parts are suitably dimensioned with respect to one another, the inner tube will be caused to lie firmly against the surrounding tube, thus preventing the inner tube wobbling in the outer one. On the other hand the inner tube is easily released by being sim- A ply withdrawn, as is usually required for instance in certain toys for transport and for putting them together again and for packing them.

The present invention is preferably carried out in sheet metal but any other suitable mate- "rial such as celluloid and the like mav be used.

260,173, and in Germany October a, 1927.

as long as the inner tube is yielding.

In Fig. 1 a front view is shown of the tube to be inserted, Fig. 2 isa plan viewof the tube of larger diameter which is intended to receive the tube shown in Fig. 1, the second tube (seen from above) being ring-shaped, Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one part being shown inserted in the other. Fig. 4 is a front elevaon tion of another constructional form, and Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a third constructional form showi '.'g the parts prior to being put together.

In the various figga .s 1 is the narrower u tube which is to be instited and which is provided at 2 with a longitudinal slot. In Fig. 4 the longitudinal slot is made so that it will not be visible to the eye, the two longitudinal edges of thesheet metal forming the tube 1 0 overlapping one another.

3 is the part cut away so as to form a widening of the slot in accordance with the present invention and 4 the ring or the tube of lar er diameter into which the tube 1 is to be 111- serted. 5 is the inwardly bent tongue in the latter, which extends into the widened portion 3. 6, in Figs. 2 and 3, is the base plate g 4 is fixed, for instance bymade sufliciently into which the ri means of bent over tongues 7.

What I claim is:

In combination, a tube having a longitudinal slot therein, a wider slot at one end of the tube adjoining said longitudinal slot so as'to to form a continuation thereof, said wider slot having a width gradually increasing in size towards the said end of the tube, and a second tube adapted to receive the first-mentioned tube and having an inward projection adapted to engage in said wider slot and force the walls thereof apart on the first-mentioned tube being inserted in the second-mentioned tube, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. 95

ERNST PAUL LEHMANN. 

